Birch Bay

We woke up today to sunshine - and 30 degrees. It was the first sunshine we've seen in some time - mostly we've been having a LOT of rain. We had some errands to run - and halfway through the shopping errands we decided to take a ride up to Birch Bay to see if there were any ducks on the bay. We saw a nice sized flock of Tundra Swans on the way and in some of the flooded fields we saw small flocks of ducks.

The wind was really strong - but that is what kept the clouds away! We stopped along the way for a snack and the wind, combined with the temperature was enough to keep us moving briskly along.

At Birch Bay we didn't see many birds - some seagulls floating on the bay, facing into the wind and a few ducks diving and coming back up, quite a ways from shore. The drive up was splendid, we saw the twigs turning their spring red, before leaves appear, some Oso Berry trees were showing green sprouts and we even saw some pussy willows - spring must be coming soon - oh please say that it is!

We are only few miles from British Columbia, Canada and the Canadian mountains were astonishlingly beautiful today . . .

Simply breathtaking . . . and the color of the water was amazing . . .

Some of the white spots are seagulls - and some are waves, whipped up by the wind . . .

I had to get out of the car and get the binoculars out of the trunk (Ben calls them "bird-noculars) so I could look at the birds and the mountains - and the wind was so strong and cold that I was right back in the car - fast!

It was a fabulous trip!!

Where is your favorite place to go on a sunny day?

Swans !!!!

Tundra Swans overwinter here and we went in search of some yesterday. The weather forecast called for some sun - though we never actually saw any - but we did see swans. You never know when you will find them - or which fields they will be in. Often we also find Snow Geese - but yesterday we didn't see one Snow Goose.

On the way to the usual places that we find the birds we saw hundreds of Swans on the opposite side of the freeway - but passed them by as we were headed in the other direction. After finding only a few swans here and there, and none close enough to take pictures - or hear them talking amongst themselves - we turned back towards home. The swans were still there in the first place we'd seen them - so we found an exit and hunted for the road they were on - and here is what we found.

The swans were enjoying whatever they were finding to eat in the flooded fields . . .

The sound of all their voices is amazing - I could sit and listen to it all day.

I tried to get some photos of the swans flying - it is hard to catch them in midair but I did get a few . . .

Just taking off . . .

Above the trees . . .

Coming in for a landing . . .

Do you have any migratory birds that overwinter near your home?

Migrations will begin soon and we'll have more interesting birds.

Deer in the snow!

During our big snowfall last week the deer were going through our yard day and night. Deer tracks all over the front and back yards.

I saw this little one across the street from us.

Don't you think she posed nicely?

Want to see something pretty?

I collect dishes - all sorts of dishes - different shapes, colors, patterns. And one of my favorites is milkglass. I have received some pretty pieces lately to add to what I already have.

I love the designs, the ruffles, the cutwork, the hobnails - oh I just love it all!!

After all the christmas pretties were put away I gathered all the milkglass, to display it on the buffet in the dining room. The dining room furniture has been in our family now for 6 generations and shows off the milk glass very well.

I know - the pink platter is not milk glass, but it was my very special gift from Don this christmas and it is perfect for setting the milkglass pitchers on.

This tall elegant pitcher was also a gift from Don . . .

Tiny little pitcher - only about 2 1/2" tall . . .

I use the round bowl on the right for fruit salad - perfect!!

A cheese dish, on top of a cutwork cake plate . . .

Pretty edges . . .

Anything with ruffles catches my eye . . . this lovely basket was a gift from Lori, Jay and Jahn . . . it is so delicate and pretty . . .

Another ruffled bowl . . .

And a ruffled rose bowl . . .

A little square box - nice for surprises and candy . . .

Do you any milkglass - and if not - why not? It is so cheery on a cold winter night - and so calming on a warm summer day. The perfect all-around dish.

My latest project

I've been working on quilts forever, it seems, and finally I hit the wall. I've had my fill of little pieces and cutting and sewing and fitting together and ripping apart and coordinating colors and cleaning up scraps - - - I'm burned out on quilting.

I sorted all my fabrics, de-cluttered the studio, sorted things into their proper plastic boxes, organized everything and put all of my quilting projects away - snuggled them up in plastic boxes and sent them on a vacation on the top shelves.

So I cast about for something else to do - for I can't just sit and twiddle my thumbs now, can I? And there is no limit to the things I can choose from in my studio to do instead of quilting. I have paints and brushesand pencils and art paper - I have felt and embroidery floss - I have beads and wires and strings and needles - I have wooden pieces to paint - I have yarn and crochet hooks and knitting needles - I have stones and buttons and a BeDazzler(hmmmm maybe we should BeDazzle something) - I have a little machine that makes magnets or stickers - I have feathers and fur and fun fabrics - I have patterns and books and ideas - no - I don't want to do any of those. I dabbled at a few of them - put them aside and then decided on what I would do.

I'd crochet a tablecloth. A round one. I want a round table for the dining room - a nice big old round table. I can see it already, round and shiny and ready for dinners when the kids come over - waiting for holidays and new tablecloths and napkins - patiently enjoying crafts and little boys playing legos and star wars on it - holding cups of tea and plates of cookies for friends that stop by - oh I can see it all.

So I started on the tablecloth, a pineapple design that I've made before. I made it when I didn't have a round table (wait, I still don't have a round table, but I will). The museum in Blue Lake, CA was having a fund raiser and I gave my round tablecloth to be auctioned for the museum. And now I want a round tablecloth again for my round table that is coming, one day.

I love vintage, and vintage looking crocheted items, and pineapple design especially.

This is how far I had gotten by the end of today - just beginning the pineapple design part of the tablecloth. The crochet thread is size 20 (sewing thread is often size 50, for comparison) and the hook is a metal size 7.

And then - I had to rip back to the beginning of the pineapple design. The tablecloth was not lying flat - it had extra "ruffles" in it - and it is not a ruffled tablecloth. I knew this was happening and should have stopped and taken it out when I first discovered it - but nooooo - I had to crochet on and on until I had to take out 12 rounds - so I am starting again at the beginning of the pineapple design, adjusting the pattern just a little bit so it lies flat - and I know I will eventually be happy that I did it correctly.

You probably can't see the "ruffle" in the photo - but it is there - believe me. I just squished it around so it wasn't so visible because I wanted a photo - partly to remind me that I should have stopped when I first thought there was a "ruffle" coming.

I've made small pineapple doilies . . .

And found patterns for pineapple swans that hold your bar of soap . . .

I love the vintage patterns for pineapple crochet . . .

I got a kick out of this picture from an old crochet book - the cigarettes are just naturally a part of the decor . . . 1950s no doubt . . .

I used to have some snack dishes like these - look at the lowe right hand corner, you see a little place to rest your cigarette while you are having tea with the girls in your club . . . Oh - sorry - back to crochet.

A vintage book has a pattern for a crocheted baby bonnet . . .

Books that show us how to make square pineapples . . .

I love the old crochet books and patterns . . .

If you would like to do a little crochet - here is a fun pattern for pineapple design beaded earrings.

Have you ever crocheted doilies or tablecloths? It is such fun!

1-11-11

This is getting to be fun - in a few hours it will be 11:1 1-11-11 - and then of course a few hours after that 1:11 1-11-11 - surely the fairies are out and about this magical day. They must be snow fairies at our house - as we are laden down with snow and much more is headed our way. I think I see some fairies in the woods shaking the branches and making the snow magically swirl through the trees.


First - the snow fairies plant Snow Berries in the autumn - so that we will be ready when the snow comes in winter.

And it does come - in buckets and billows, by the fistful and falling hard and fast . . .

Snow fairies like the bright sunshine and the secret shady places, as do all fairies - snow fairies love snow, of course.

They hide in tunnels . . .

And visit their bird friends . . .

Sometimes they make caves in the snow, and invite in a friend or two . . .


They like to ride in your boat . . .

And cover everything with mounds and piles of snow . . .

You say you don't see any fairies out and about? You don't have fairies in your woods, or in your house? Well, here is your chance to adopt your very own fairy - lots of fairies to pick from and one just right for you. Go now and Adopt a Fairy - you'll be glad you did. And once you have one fairy - you will soon find a lot more coming to visit.


My snow fairy is ready for the cold weather - all bundled up in her snugglies. She will have fun today, chasing about with the squirrels, making snow fairies (she knows they are not really called snow angels), singing in the trees and blowing snow kisses to all who pass by. If you feel a bit of snow brush against your cheek today - you will know the snow fairies are nearby. If you don't have snow today - or ever - fairies will still blow kisses to you - light as butterflies, sweet as flowers.

To encourage fairies to come around - there are some things we can do -

Like put up some fairy doors for them - so they know they are welcome. Visit this fairy door at The Quintessential Magpie's blog. Her house was on a home tour for the local garden club - and she shows us all her wonderful holiday decorations, and one of them is this cute little fairy door. Scroll down a little ways on her blog and you'll see a snowy fairy door - which is even more magical, since it is in Florida. Thee is always magic about when there are fairies.

You could leave them a bit of food under a tree . . .

They love bread, and raisins . . .

And nice orange carrots . . .

Berries too . . .

But mostly they like cookies . . .

We can decorate our house with "snow"

And snow fairies love snowpeople . . .

And in return for our friendship, the snow fairies make our world a winter wonderland . . .

And they make fun for little boys and their grampies . . .

So make some wishes - enjoy the fun of a fairy day - look for something happy and sweet to do today - blow some fairy kisses to those you meet - have a great fairy day!!!

Where have you seen your fairies?